Mixing machine



P. MARIENTHAL MIXING MACHINE July 15, 1952 2 sl-lEETs-SHEET 1 Filed Oct. 16. 1948 INVENTOR Paul Mariethal BY ATTOR EYS July 15, 1952 P. MARIENTHAL 2,603,461

MIXING MACHINE Filed ot. 1e. 1948 2 mams- SHEET 2 Lz INVENTOR Paul Marienthal 'la/4i ATTORNEYS Patented July 15, 1952 Mmm" -G mesme- Paul"Marienthal,v Detroit, Mich.; National Bank' of Detroit and` Benjamin Shwayder, executors of,l theestate of said Marienthal, deceased, assignorsA to The Sherwin-Williams Company, Cleveland, Oh'io, a' corporation of Ohio pplicatonlctoberl, 1948, SerialfNoi545897 l 1'2 Claims; 1.

This inventionrelatesto mixing machinesfand, in the particular embodiment shown, tomachines for mixingandblendingpaintfstocks:such as are carried inv paintr shops'or paint departments..

It has beenthe-practic'e of automobile, appliance, andothermanufacturersto sell their products with a` number of differently colored finishes', the exactl shade of whichcolors will not only vary from i' manufacturer to'manufacturer but may. vary betweenidiifer'ent modelsl of' a given manufacturers productv from year' toyear and from type vto type.v For example, an automobile manufacturer may not only' change'the selection of colors available fori' a given-make of automobile from year to year, but the manufacturer may .also haveV a-wi'der selectionofcolors available `for the deluxe 'models'of a given'year than for the standard models of that year; still further, the shadef'for the deluxe modelsmay beV slightly richer than the? shade of' substantiallyethe same color used for thestandard models of that year.'

Ai result of' the above' practice isY thatautomobilel repair andrenishing shopsare called upon to'match' a' galaxyfof' colors and the'costof an inventory: of4v` any` quantity of paints t'of match even the" more `common shades would' be yprohibitive;l Tof-overcome such an inventory problem, paint"manufacturersfsupply such' paint shops, or dealers? and? jobbers': selling tosuch paint shops, Withformulabooks and aflinef of stock finishes which precisely:match-the` several color stand;- ardsI -for the line; By. blending" exact proportions of the" stock colors in accordance with theformulabooks, a :precise-'matchy of the desired commercialcolor Vshade maybe obtained;4

Despite the vpossibilityy of f exactly' matching a desired color shade by blending stock' color according to the formula for the colorv shade, such matches were not easily attained-in actual shoppractice; It". wasI not` onlyA difficult tofproportion 1 the'fstockrcolors': precisely', but-the f blendin'giof .the-stock? colors' must be thorough; In addition; the-"stocklcolors must be"v thoroughly 'mixedibeore blending.= Unless ythe= pigment Vof the"l s"tc' 'cl:{v colorL is.- thoroughly.VY dispersedV in" its vehicle before an? 'amount' of thefstock colorv is pouredout of-'it'sf bulk-container for' blendingfwith other colorsf into -a`` batcli ofA a'- matched color shade, noti-only 'will ithe" desired? color fshade not be matched, biitstocklcolorremaining in the-bulk container" willbe off standard for subsequent color matches; Satisfactory simple devicesfor measuring the amount vof stock colors'desired-to be blended have'ebeenla'vailable forson'ie time", but

heretofore no satisfactory machines for mixing and blendingy have been available. v

Such'mixing and blending machines as have beenproposedheretofore usually required special containersand thus failedto solvethe problem of providing a thoroughly mixed stock color whichcould be 'poured-for measuri'igl and blend'- ing from the standard bulk containers in which the stock-colors were.V stored. Likewise, such pro-4 posed 'machineswhich were capable of f' simultaneously agitating au number of stock colors or blendsF-hadto be stopped in order for-one colitainerto be removed from the machine .ortobe emptied. Since the paintsfandla'cdueito be mixed 'or rblended are preferably agitatdfgritly and slowly, in such I nachines it wasr diiic'iilt` to keepl track of the interruption necessary'tolad in a new batch or to remove one batch ofcc'olor from` the several being' mixed simultaneously. Such interruptions not only reduced'the'prodiictive capacity. of the machine over aperiod oftirie but' resulted eitherr in some batchesbe'in'gudrl mixed= or?overmixed';k overmixi'ng, so long as' it was gentle, did notharm the-color'b't'didfirther reduce the effective capacity ofthe'machiiie. AnotherA fault of such priorl proposed'-machines wasthat they would not efficiently handle'b'oth large andl small batches ofv color;

v It -isthe object'l of this invention' to provide" a color mixing-and blending machine which 'overlcomes -thel above outlined" disadvantages of" the proposed prior art machines'. It is anV advantage of this machine thatstockcolor's in" standard bulkfquart` and gallon containers may "bev mixed simultaneouslyV in the machine, the'qu'artr and gallonjcontainers being interchangeably mount; able for mixinginv` the machine. This inter'- c-hangeability of Vquart and gallon containers likewise permits, of course, large and' small amounts ofcolorsto'be blended in the machine.

A'particular advantage of this machine isM that a container for colors to be mixed or blended in the machine rmay'be loaded `into or removed from thev-machinewithout'stopping the machine or interrupting the simultaneous mixing or blendingof other colors. This particular advantage 'is obtained vby a-novel automatic coupling inthe drive for thefmixing-headand it is, therefore, a further'object and advantage of this invention'to provide an automatic, positive drive couplingbetween a-mixing head or similarY device and the drive therefor', which coupling permits substantial misalignment (i. e., eccentricity and/or endwise' or axialdisplacement) between-the driving and i drivenvf shafts while also permittingH the coubefore the coupling can be released or engaged.'

Other and further objects and advantages will be apparent from the following specification, claims and drawings, in which:v

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a machine made according to the invention. Y

Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the machine shown in Fig. l, but with the motor hood removed.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section taken' along the line 3 3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section taken along theY line 2 4 Yof Fig. 3 and showing the in a driving connection;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail elevation, partly insection, taken along the line 5 5 of Fig. l, showing the position of the coupling elements at the instant a paint container has been placed in the mixing machine.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail of the coupling elements shown in Fig. 5j but showing the relative position of the driving and driven elements of the coupling as :shown in Fig. 5 after the driving shaft has advanced.-`I I Fig. 7 is a detail similar to Figs. 5 and 6 but showing the driving element advanced to the driving position as shown in plan in Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is a detail horizontal cross-section taken along the line 8 8 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 is a detail vertical cross-section taken along the line 9 9 of Figure 8.

The embodiment of this invention as shown in the drawings comprises a structure having an open-front section l partitioned by a plurality of hollow vertical walls to provide the paint container-receiving compartments |2. In the particular embodiment shown there are six compartments I2 designated as I 2 I to |2 6, as indicated. The rear wall I3 Vof the section i0 is provided with suitable openings in each of the compartments l2, through which openings there may protrude the pouring spouts of the mixing heads for the paint containers. rI'he ceiling I for the several compartments I2 is a longitudinal channel which also serves as a chassis for the several driving spindles 25 and as a support for the motor base 2| of the motor 20 and for the base 23 of the speed-reducer 22, both mounted in the hood I6 above the section The drive for the several driving spindles 33 comprises the motor 20 which runs constantly when connected to a suitable source of power. The motor 29 drives the speed-reducer 22, as bythe V-belt drive shown. The speed-reducer 22 in turn drives the several spindles 25 by means of its driven sprocket 2G and the sprocket chain 26 which, in turn, drives the several aligned spindle sprockets 27 keyed to the spindles 25. As best shown in detail in Fig. 5, each spindle 25 is journaled in spindle bearings 28 fastened to and Vextending vertically through the ceiling l5. Ifo maintain the' sprocket chain 2E taut, a conventional idlery sprocket 29 is employed. To hold the chain 23 against the sprockets 22 in the run of the chain over the aligned sprocket, a back-up bar i9 may beA employed. Y

'IheY coupling 30 for each driving spindle 25 and thev mixing heads ll'of the paint containers coupling 4 for paint to be mixed in my machine comprise a horizontally-extending driving key 3| and a driven pin bar 32 carrying horizontally spaced, vertically extending restraining pins 33. The' key 3| is provided with the wings 34 by which the key is Yhung from the spindle 25 on the pivot pin 35 carried thereby.A Thus, except for the bias exerted by gravity (or by biasing springs which may be employed), the key 3| is freely pivotally mounted on the horizontal pivot pin 35 for movement in a nearly circular arc concentricV with thepivot pin 25, said vertical arc lying in a plane perpendicular to the axis of the pivot pin 35. It willbe evident from Figs. 4to 7 that, unless the' key 3| is restrained from swinging in the said vertical arc, the key 3| is incapable of transmitting torque from the spindle 25 but, instead, will swing up and ride over an obstruction terminating Within the locus of the solid of revolution described by the key as it, hanging from the pivot pin 35, is turned by the spindle 25.

The driven element of the coupling 30, i. e. the pin bar 32, is designed to restrain the key 3| from swinging upwardly when the pair of pins 33 extend into the locus ofthe solid of revolution described by the rotating key 3|, whereby a couple, 'as shown in Fig. 4, will be exerted on the key 3|v and, thus, torque will be transferred from rthe spindle 25 through the pivot pin 35, wings 34,' key 3| and pin 33 to the bar 32. Each bar 32 is mounted on the shaft 6| ofl a mixing head L39, so that the pins v33 are oppositely disposed with respect to the axis of the shaft 4 The mixing heads li may be of any suitable design, thefones shown, 40G and MQ, being -made according to my rDesign Patents D. 125,776 and D. 125,777, granted March 11, 1941, the mixing heads shown in the embodiment differing from those shown in my design patents only in that the manualstirring crank shown in the design patents is replaced by the pin bar 32. The mixing heads 40G and GQ are used. respectively, on standard gallon and quart containers 5G and '.iQ. The standard containers 50 have raised, wide-mouthed pouring openings onwhicli the mixing heads B0 may be clamped by the cam locking levers 43. As indicated in Fig. 1, each `mixing head 40 'carries asuitable paddle' shaft i4 which extends into a container 5B; each mixing head lisalso provided with a pouring spout l5 whichY extends into the openings l when the containers 5!! are positioned beneath the spindles 25 so that the mixing heads may be driven thereby. A suitable closure 46 is pivotally mounted. on the spouts to prevent paint from splashing out of the container during mixing. The mixing paddle shaft 4 may be directly driven by the mixing head shaft 4| or the shaft 44 may be driven through suitable gearing (not shown).

The particular disclosed embodiment of my machine is designed to accommodate quart and gallon sizes of stock containers in which the diameter of the cylindrical quart containers happens to be about the same dimension as the thickness of the gallon containerswhich have a rectangularv cross-section. VThe quadrupled capacity of the gallon containers is accounted for in part by the greater cross-sectional area, but is largely due to the increased vertical heightof the gallon containers. Since the effectiveness of the couplings 30 depends upon bar pins 33 being maintained in, and preferably substantially centered within the locus of the key 3|, therhinged brackets 60 constitute asimpleand effective de- ,coupling 30 to engage.

hinged brackets may be wider rif the other con-v itainers are of a lesser diameter or thickness than the containers shown in Fig. 1.

vice forflocating the bar pins 33 .when carried onaquart container so that the pins will be held 'quart' as Well as gallon containers.

As shown in Fig. 1 and in detail in Figs. a and 9, a hinged bracket ylill is comprised of .a leaf 6I provided with cam ends 62 and, von its outer edge, a long notch 63 providing projections B'ladapted to receive and, in' cooperation with a, similar bracket on the opposite partition Wall II, center the bottomof a quartfcontainer. 'Each bracket 60 is hinged 'in' the disclosed embodiment by means ofan offsetcentral lug 64 and end lugs 65 bent to an acute Iangle with respect to the leaf 60, the lugs 64 and 65 .extending into correspondingslots in the supporting partition Il.y As shown in compartments 'I2-I, I2'-4.and i12-5 in Fig. 1, the brackets B0 normally swing* out- Wardly from the partitions lII and `are thus positioned 4to support a quart container at the proper height to permit the pin-bar on the 'mixing head to be engaged by the key of the coupling (See container 50Q in compartment I2-2, Fig.-

1)'. In this normal position of the leaf 6I, 'outward' hinging 'thereof is limited by the angle of the lugs 65,` which engage theadjacent Wallfof the partition -II. l The 'offset central lug'` Gly'preventsthe bracket 60 from beingremoved fromthe wall ofthe partitions II. Whnra gallon container 50G is inserted into a compartment, the outer cam end 62Ais engaged by the sides of the container, lwhereby the brackets 60 are hinged upwardly to a position parallel to the walls of the partition I I, as Ashown in compartments I-23 and'I2-"-B in Fig. 1 and in dotted lines in Fig. 9. Upon removal-'of a gallon container 50Q from a compartment,the hinged brackets 60 automatically drop outwardly, where they are again ready to support a quart container or to Aswing against the partition I I, if the next container inserted.A in the` compartment should be a gallon-4 container. While onlyl one pair of .brackets160isl shown mounted on opposite walls Vof a compartment I2, itis to be understood that additional pairs rmay be employed tol support other containers, of different heights,in the -proper position to permit the Such Aadditional pairs of AOlperlztio'n, of machine and coupling With the motor 20 constantly driving the Several spindles' 25', 'my machine is ready to receive 'a 'paint container 50 carrying a mixing head 40 in any vacant compartment I2. As shown in Fig. 1, the-coupling 30 for the container 50G in compartment I2-3'is in'the driving position and is 'driving the mixing head 40G to mix the paint'in thatl container; the container 50Q in compartment I2-'-2 has been inserted a suicient period of time to permit the key 3I to fallbetween the pins 33 so that, upon a further quarter turn of\ a compartment. Assuming that a pin ,bar32 is vturned on the mixingA head so thatthe pins, 33

strike the key 3 IV broadside as the container is .5inserted, then the lkey 3I, pivoting on the pivot pin 35. will .be movedv slightly uwardly anduout of its normal driving zone comprising a disk-shaped volume generated by the key when it intersects the axis of the spindle 25.. As this ,spindle rotates, the key will-ride upon the pins untilzit approaches a position transverse to the pins l33. rIhe key will then clear the pins and return toits normal driving zonev under Ythe `biasing inil-uence of gravity. If the rstpin33a striking thekey ,lisfadvanced so that it strikes Athetrailing side of the rotated key, as shown'in Fig. 5, suchan initial contaetof` the couplinggelement will require the greatest rotation ofthe spindle 25, i, e. .approximately 300, beforethe coupling 30-will be.in driv ing engagement. With an initial conta-ctof ...the

coupling element as shown in Fig. 5, continued rotationl of .the spindle 27E-.Will allow the key`3I 'to fall until it is nearly perpendicular and rests againstfboth pins 33a and33b. vlThe'reaiter,v.co n. tinued rotation of the spindle will cause the-key 3| to ride up on the pins 33D until the key reaches the positionshown inv Fig. 6, where it is ready to fall tothe perpendicular position between the pins,A as shown in dotted lines. When the keyhas fallen to aiperpendicular position between Ythe pins 33, continued rotation will carry the-key to the driving position shown in Fig. 7. v f As should now be apparent,` considerable -eccentricity of the spindle 25 and the mixing head shaft Alrispermissible, since theA key is free to Vslide on the pinswhile the coupling 30 is engaged, the greater length of the key with Arespect to the spacing of the pins determining the permissible eccentricity of the driving and driven Longitudinal displacement of the tyvo shafts isA also permissible, the height of 'the key I.determining the maximum longitudinal displacement., As indicated in Fig. 6, the height and Y spacing of the pins 33 should be such that, when the pin bar is at its minimum axial distance from the end ofthe spindle 25, the key ,3-I should bevfreefto fall to ,its lperpendicular position between the pins when the pinybar andkey are perpendicularto each other. `Y Y y n Since the coupling 30 permits considerable eccentricity and axial displacement of the shafts, skew, misalignment is also permitted, being the sum of component ofeccentricity and axialdisplacement. Ifv the misalignment ofthe driving and driven shaftss exceeds the permissible llimits of eccentricity and axial displacement, the. coupling will, of course, either not engage or Will become disengaged. Thus, to disengage a coupling 30 and to -sto-p the mixing of any given container 50, the container is simply taken out of its compartment Without stopping the Vmachine `and without interrupting the mixing;v of stock paints or blending of mixed stock .paints in other compartments. y

In the particular embodiment shown, thekeys 3| are biased by their own weight so that Vthey will tend to fall to a position transversev to the vertical axes of the spindle 25. If -the elements of the couplingV were reversed, i. e., 'if' the pin bar were carried by the spindle 25 ,and the key employed where the design of the machine em- 'ploying my novel coupling does *not permit-fthe driving and driven shafts to be vertical.

7 .-1 FromY the Vforegoing it 'should be apparent that my linventionv is not limited to the particular a 'embodiment 'disclosed but `may. be modied in Whole orV in partor adapted to other usesby those'skilled in the art Without departing from the scope of this invention as set out in the following claims. L

--What'is claimed is :y 1. 'In a? mixing machine comprising a rotatable drivingfspindle, a drive therefor, a removable container for material to be mixed in said machine, al mixing headmo'unted on said container, a rotatable shaft for operating saidV mixing head, a1 releasable couplingconnecting Vsaid spindle andsai'd'shaft comprising a key member carried by one of said rotatable'elements and pivoted for pivotal movement about an axis transversetothe-axis of said one rotatable element, a coupling member carried by the other Vof said rotatable elementsV and cooperating with said key'. member, said coupling element being' movkable relative Vto said'key memberto engage'and togdisengagesaid coupling element" and key member 'While maintaining therrotationof said drive said mixing head, a key member carriedl by each of said spindles and pivoted for pivotal movement about an axis transverse to the axis of its Vassociated spindle, each of said key members being adapted to engage Vand drive-its associated coupling element while maintaining the rotation of said driving spindlesy when said coupling yelement is placed within the driving zone of said key member, and means to support the containers in a position causing said coupling elements andfkey members to engage. Y v e V3. A machine `for simultaneously and interchangeably mixing'materialsin containers'of a series of heights comprisinga structure having a pluralityY of compartments, aV driving` spindle depending Y into' each of said compartments, means for driving all of said spindles simultaneously, a key member of a releasable coupling carried'lby leach of Vsaid spindles and pivoted about an axis transverse to its associated spindle, each of said key members dening a'driving zone in which Va coupling element carried by a mixing head mounted on a container will -be engaged and driven while maintaining rotation of all of said spindles when said coupling element is supported in said zone, and means for s upporting in said compartments a container of any one of the heights of the series to locate said coupling element on the container within 1 the driving zone of the key member element in the compartment, whereby the contents in several containers of different heights may ibe'mixedsimultaneously and a container of a given height of the series may beV supported in any oneof the plurality .ofcompartments during suchsimu'ltav neous mixing.

4. In a `machine formixingmaterials in .containers of` a series of heightsa compartment defined byla floor, a ceiling, and a side wall, a drivinghspin'dle extending from said ceiling into 'said compartment,l means Afor' driving said spindle, anrst vcoupling element carried bysaid spindle and defining a ldriving Zone in whichY a second coupling element on a mixingV head mounted on top of a container will be engaged and driven bysaid' first coupling element,A the height of said'driving zone above said floor being of such a height as to cause the second couplingV elementtobe engaged and driven bysaid first coupling element when said ymixing head is'mounted on aY container of maximum height, a hinged bracket carried by the side wall of said compartment, said hinged :bracket being pivotable to a'nrst position against said side'wallto permit a container Yof lmaximum height to be 'placed onf said floorand support said'second' coupling element in engagement with said first coupling element, saidhinged bracket :being fui'- ther pivotable to La second position at an angle withV respect tor said Wall to support asecond container of less than maximum'height Vat-the elevation above said floor at; -which a` second coupling element on such a second container will `be engaged and driven `by said rst coupling element... y

5. A machine as defined in claim 4in which said hinged bracket comprises a leaf having a cam-shapedjend portion whereby, when said .bracket is hinged to said/second position and would otherwise obstruct the sliding of'a conchangeably mixing paint in stock quart and/or gallon containers of a type having a substantially common horizontal dimension .but in which the vertical height of the gallon container is greater, saidjmachine comprising a structure having aV plurality of compartments, each Vdefined by a ceiling, a floor and parallel side walls, a drivingspindle depending into each of said compartments, meansgfor driving said spindles simultaneously, a rst coupling element carried byl each of said spindles and defining a driving zone for a second coupling element mounted on a mixing head carried by a 'container received in the compartment, the height of the said driving zone above the iloor of said compartments being the height atwhich said second coupling element may .be engaged by said first coupling element to drive said second coupling element and said mixing head in one direction when said mixing head is mounted on'such a gallon container, and hinged brackets horizontally pivotally mounted on opposite side walls of said compartments and pivotable from a greater angle to the' supporting side walls at which the dis'- tance between the adjacent edges of the brackets isless than the said common dimensions of the ,containers to` a lesser angle at which the distance between `the mostV closely adjacent portions of said brackets is greater'than said common dimension, the said brackets being mounted on the side wallsv at anelevation to support a quart container at a ,height at which a mixing head mounted vthereon will permita second coupling agent carried thereby to be engaged and driven bysaid rstcoupling agent.

7. A machine as denedvin claim 6 in which .said brackets are provided with cam shaped edge tainer will' cam a bracket resting at said greater angle to said lesser angle.

8. A machine as dened in claim 7 in which said brackets are provided with projections to center substantially the second coupling element carried by the mixing head mounted on a quart container when a quart container is supported on said brackets.

9. In a mixing machine provided with compartments for removably receiving containers carrying a mixing head to be driven Iby a continuously rotating driving shaft in said machine, a releasable coupling for establishing a torque transmitting connection between said driving shaft and a driven shaft in said mixing head comprising a key element pivotally supported beyond the end of one shaft about a pivotal axis transverse to and intersecting said shaft, said key element being biased to assume a normal location beyond the end of said shaft, whereby, when said shaft is rotated, said key element will define a driving zone, a restraining element carried by the second shaft, projections on said restraining element spaced `a distance less than the length and greater than the width of said key element, whereby said shafts may :be moved axially and eccentrically awayfrom each other to release the coupling and, when maintained in substantial alignment permitting said projections to extend into said driving zone, will establish a driving connection between said shafts for rotation of said driven shaft only in the direction of rotation of said driving shaft.

10. A coupling as claimed in claim 9 in which said restraining element comprises a bar mounted on the end of the second shaft extending transversely thereof and said projections comprise pins mounted on said bar, said pins being located oppositely and equidistant from the intersection of the axis of said shaft by said bar.v

11. A coupling for a machine of the class described comprising a key member and means to pivot said key member on an axis parallel vto the length thereof and a restraining member provided with a pair of projections spaced from each other a distance less than the length of said key member but greater than the width thereof and means to mount said restraining member on a shaft to Iposition said projections beyond the end of the shaft.

12. A releasable coupling for establishing a torque-transmitting connection between substantially aligned vertical shafts, said shafts being movable eccentrically and axially away from each other, comprising a key pivotally mounted to hang below the end of the upper of said shafts and extend transversely thereof to generate its normal disk-shaped driving zone when said upper shaft is rotated, a pair of transversely spaced pins mounted to extend above the lower Vof said shafts, said pins being spaced a distance less than the length of said key and greater than the width of said pins, and no one :of said keys being disposed radially from said lower shaft a distance greater than the length of said key, whereby, when said shafts are substantially aligned and said pins extend into said driving zone, said key will fall between said pins to establish a driving connection between said shafts and the connection may :be released by moving said shafts away from each other.

PAUL MARIENTHAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the flle of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 399,197 Hawkins Mar. 5, 1889 567,726 Roberts et al. Sept. 15, 1896 1,114,456 Floyd Oct. 20, 1914 1,276,953 Parker Aug. 27, 1918 1,619,611 Goldsmith Mar. 1, 1927 1,735,143 Supervielle Nov. 12, 1929 1,842,938 Hancock Jan. 26, 1932 2,287,919 Ulzheimer June 30, 1942 

